The fifth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers will look to continue their recent dominance over the South Carolina Gamecocks when they meet in a key Southeastern Conference matchup on Tuesday. The Volunteers (15-4, 5-1 SEC), who have won the last five meetings with South Carolina, have gone 10-1 against the Gamecocks (17-3, 5-2 SEC) since Jan. 20, 2018. South Carolina, which is eyeing its fourth win in a row, is 3-2 on the road in 2023-24. Tennessee, meanwhile, is 10-0 on its home court.
The game from Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn., will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET. South Carolina is averaging 73.2 points per game, while Tennessee averages 79.5. The Volunteers are 13.5-point favorites in the latest South Carolina vs. Tennessee odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 135.5. Before making any Tennessee vs. South Carolina picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 season on a 120-78 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $2,000 for $100 players. It is also off to a sizzling 20-7 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Tennessee vs. South Carolina and revealed its CBB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for South Carolina vs. Tennessee:
- Tennessee vs. South Carolina spread: Tennessee -13.5
- Tennessee vs. South Carolina over/under: 135.5 points
- Tennessee vs. South Carolina money line: South Carolina +717, Tennessee -1148
- SC: The Gamecocks have hit the team total over in 8 of their last 11 road games (+4.60 units)
- TENN: The Volunteers have hit the first-half money line in 16 of their last 19 home games (+9.80 units)
- Tennessee vs. South Carolina picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Tennessee can cover
Fifth-year senior guard Dalton Knecht became the SEC's first player with 32 or more points in three games over a four-game span since 2007, and is the first player in the conference with 35 or more points in back-to-back games since Shaquille O'Neal did it in February 1991. In 19 games played, all starts, Knecht is averaging 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He is connecting on 49% of his shots from the floor, including a red-hot 40.2% from 3-point range, and 80% from the free throw line. He scored 32 points, grabbed six rebounds and had three assists and three blocks in Saturday's win at Vanderbilt.
Also averaging double-digit scoring for the Volunteers is junior guard Zakai Zeigler. In 19 games, including 13 starts, he is averaging 10.2 points, 5.1 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 28.9 minutes of action. He is coming off a 10-point, six-assist and four-rebound effort in the win at Vanderbilt. He had 26 points in a 77-72 loss at Mississippi State on Jan. 10. In that game, he also had seven assists, three steals and two rebounds. See which team to pick here.
Why South Carolina can cover
Junior guard Meechie Johnson, who is in his second season with the Gamecocks after two years at Ohio State, has started all 19 games he has played in. He leads the team, averaging 15.7 points per game, to go along with 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Johnson has reached 20 or more points six times, including 24 in the SEC opener against Mississippi State on Jan. 6. That effort earned him his first SEC Player of the Week honors.
Senior forward B.J. Mack, who is in his first year with the program after playing three years at Wofford and one at South Florida, is just one of three players averaging double-digit scoring. In 20 games, all starts, Mack is averaging 13.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 25.4 minutes of action. He has four 20-point scoring outings this season, including a season-high 27 points against Grand Canyon on Nov. 19. In 85 games, including 69 starts, at Wofford, he averaged 14.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists. See which team to pick here.
How to make South Carolina vs. Tennessee picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 139 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread is the better value. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Tennessee vs. South Carolina, and which side of the spread is the better value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 20-7 roll on its top-ranked college basketball spread picks, and find out.
